Chapter Five
Rainey
As I drive to Midnight, my thoughts are consumed with Lucas.
It’s been almost a week since our meeting about the Thunder project, and I can’t stop thinking about him.
How seamlessly we talked through my concepts and his approval of them all.
I love my brother but if I’d met with him and not Lucas, he’d have had his own take on things and we’d have ended up butting heads.
Typical siblings. Instead, I’d been able to float on a high as I began to make phone calls and talk to vendors for many of my ideas.
Jack’s excitement when I’d gotten the job had felt great, but Lucas’s approval was next level.
I’d also gotten a small glimpse into his past, how his biological parents hadn’t taught him manners.
It was a small thing but a big admission.
Given what I know of his childhood, growing up in a rough downtown area and hanging with the wrong crowd, I have a feeling them not teaching him manners was better than the things they had done.
Those details my parents kept from me, and I’ve never had a reason to ask.
Now, if I learn them at all, I want it to be from Lucas.
It’s midday Thursday and the club is closed to guests. As I walk inside for the drink tasting, butterflies take flight in my stomach. I’m excited to see what Mak, the bartender and mixologist who’s been with Midnight since they opened, has created. But I’m anticipating seeing Lucas even more.
“Hello!” I call out, and a blonde head pops up from behind the counter.
“Rainey, hey!” Mak glances at her watch. “Right on time.”
“Punctual as ever.” I roll my eyes in a self-deprecating acknowledgment of my personality. I’ve inherited that trait from my dad. Not all my siblings have it and it’s one that serves me well in business.
Doing my best not to look around for Lucas like a lovesick teen, I slide onto a stool, ready to get to work, though drink tasting is the fun part of the job.
“Let me ping the boss,” Mak says, reaching for her phone. “We can’t get started without him.”
My stomach flips again, and I settle in to wait.
It isn’t long before I hear footsteps and I turn to see Lucas walking across the floor in long strides.
Dressed in his typical collared shirt, unbuttoned just enough to catch a sprinkling of dark chest hair on his tanned skin, I have the sudden urge to grab the edges of that shirt and rip them open so I can see the muscles beneath.
It doesn’t help that as he gets close, I see the edges of a black tattoo peeking through.
Holy hell, this man is hot.
His eyes lock on mine. “Welcome to Midnight,” he says with a sweep of his arm, and I know he’s mimicking my greeting when he’d come to my office. He’s not mocking me, he’s grinning and winks as I laugh.
“The floor is yours,” Lucas tells Mak, sliding onto a barstool beside me.
“Okay, let’s get this party started!” the pretty bartender says. She reaches below the counter and suddenly music surrounds us. Not too loud like a normal night, but just enough to give us ambiance.
“I waited for you so I could make each drink fresh,” she says, taking out three drink glasses.
An idea strikes me, and I decide I’m going to order engraved glasses with the Thunder logo and 50th Anniversary etched on them.
“I’m going to make all three and leave you to taste at your leisure,” Mak tells me. “And if you don’t like one, I can come up with something new.”
“Thanks! I can’t wait to taste your creations.”
Mak gets to work and Lucas leans close, one elbow on the bar. “So, how was the rest of your week?”
“Busy as usual. Yours?” Because I’m much more interested in what he has to say than my week of phone calls and appointments, forced smiles when I didn’t like ideas, and real ones when the vendors were easy to work with.
He shrugs. “The same as yours. Busy. Your brother enjoys the hands-on part of the business, and I prefer… watching over the business. But with Jack out of town, I’m dealing with people.” He shudders, making me laugh.
“Who knew you weren’t a people person?” I ask.
He sobers a bit, and his shoulders stiffen, his easygoing manner turning to a more withdrawn one. “I used to be a people person. Hung out with a big group of guys.”
“And you don’t anymore?” It’s my turn to prop an elbow on the bar and lean close. I didn’t expect to learn about him today, and I’m all in.
He shakes his head. “I discovered that big groups can lead to bigger problems.”
“I see…” I don’t, but I want to. “What happened?” I ask.
“So let me tell you about the first drink,” Mak says, interrupting whatever I might have learned about Lucas, but I tuck away the information to ask again at a more appropriate time. “I named it The Touchdown.”
“I like it already,” I tell her, excited to taste.
She laughs. “What makes this drink special is also what takes the longest to prepare. I toasted black sesame seeds ahead of time. You do them over medium heat until they’re fragrant and begin to pop.
” She brings a container from beneath the bar to show me.
“Then, while they’re cooling, I combined equal parts Jamaican rum and a rye blend, leaving some space for the seeds.
Seal it and shake well. Then leave it for three to five days so it infuses. ”
My eyes are wide as I listen to the preparation that’s gone into the drink. “Thanks for explaining. I’ve never thought about what goes into mixing drinks, but I admit to being fascinated… and impressed.”
“Mak here is a Western US Speed Rack Champion. It’s an all-female high speed bartending competition,” Lucas says, pride in his tone. “We’re lucky to have her working for us.”
Mak waves off the compliment. “What’s most important is that the competition raises money for breast cancer charities.
But winning is awesome too.” She laughs.
“Now, as for the drink, I combine the ingredients in a mixing glass, including the seeds.” As she pours, she names each ingredient: banana liquor, demerara gum syrup, orange bitters, a pinch of salt, and lemon and orange expression.
“Add ice,” she says, as she does just that, continuing to explain the process while she works.
“Stir until chilled and diluted, strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass, and garnish with lemon and orange peels.” She adds the topping.
“Here you go!” She pushes the dark brown drink toward me.
Picking up the lowball glass, I take a sip and the nutty yet tropical taste explodes on my tongue. It’s a bit sweet along with the depth of the rum. Delicious. “Your talent is incredible to watch and taste,” I tell her. “This is perfect for a signature drink!”
“I know,” she says with a grin.
“She’s modest, too.” Lucas laughs.
I take another sip. “I could finish this whole glass, but I know we have two more drinks to go, and I don’t want to drink and drive.”
Lucas leans in close once more, the warmth of his body and spicy scent of his aftershave a reminder of all the ways I’m attracted to him. It takes all my restraint not to lean back against his broad chest.
“I’ve always got you,” he says in a gruff, rumbly voice. “But in this case, I think you’re right. Let’s move on to drink number two.” He straightens his posture and I miss his closeness.
He strides around the bar, joining Mak on the other side.
“Okay, next up is the Sports Star Martini,” she says.
“Nice name,” Lucas says.
I nod in agreement.
Mak pours water from a tap and slides a glass to me. “Take a couple of sips to clear your palate.”
I do as instructed and wait eagerly for her next creation.
Again, she explains as she prepares the drink, the same way she did for The Touchdown, then slides what she calls a coupe glass toward me. “Give it a try.”
I lift it by the top, careful with the long stem. From the bright yellow color, I know there’s going to be a citrus flavor. Sure enough, I taste a tangy, juicy yet bubbly drink, picking up the hint of vanilla and ginger spice, which I know from her description.
“Yum. Our guests will have a difficult time choosing, that’s for sure.” I run my tongue over my top lip, enjoying the hint of orange, and I moan at the flavorful, zesty tang.
My gaze lands on Lucas, only to find his eyes dark and his stare locked on my mouth. Warmth rises to my cheeks at the heat in his gaze, and between my thighs, a tingle of arousal reminds me there’s nothing simple about being around him.
“Don’t forget there’s one more drink, with what I think is the best name. Thunder and Lightning.” She sweeps her arm with a flourish and I’m grateful for the interruption.
I clap, because her specialty drinks have exceeded any expectations I had or hoped for. With each thing I nail down, my optimism for the Thunder anniversary grows stronger.
Mak repeats her presentation as she mixes the last drink, a yellowish green margarita. I’m fascinated as she floats what she says is a layer of high proof alcohol on top, lights it with a long lighter, then quickly extinguishes the flame with a mug over the top. It’s a show stopper, for sure.
I take a sip and find it’s ultra spicy with a hint of decadent chocolate. In fact, it might be my favorite. I meet Mak’s gaze.
“Well?” she asks.
“Perfection. Honestly, I’m blown away.”
“You like all three? No changes?” she asks.
I shake my head. “Nope. Not that I’d know how or what to suggest if I did want something different. But I love them all. Thank you!”
She bows at my words. “Then my job here is done. I’ll leave you two to discuss and come back to clean up later. I need to do inventory in the storage room.”
“Thanks, Mak,” Lucas and I say at the same time.
She waves and heads toward the back of the club.
“Are you sure you’re happy? I wouldn’t want you to settle just to be nice,” Lucas says.
“The drinks are perfect. She’s perfect. You’re right. Midnight is lucky to have her.”